ConfigureGpu/HCS/ERROR_PATH_NOT_FOUND error when starting WSL2 VM after Windows update

[Zeltron73]

Windows Version

Microsoft Windows [version 10.0.26200.9168]

WSL Version

2.7.12.0

Are you using WSL 1 or WSL 2?

• WSL 2
• WSL 1

Kernel Version

6.18.33.2-2

Distro Version

Ubuntu 22.04

Other Software

No response

Repro Steps

After the last Windows Update this week, my VM Ubuntu 22.04 does not start anymore. When I run "wsl -d "Ubuntu-22.04", I get the error message : The specified path cannot be found.
Error code : Wsl/Service/CreateInstance/CreateVm/ConfigureGpu/HCS/ERROR_PATH_NOT_FOUND

If I change "supportGpu=false" in the .wslconfig file, the VM start and Linux is running but without video acceleration obviously...

Expected Behavior

Actual Behavior

"supportGpu=true" in the .wslconfig file

C:\windows\system32> wsl -d "Ubuntu-22.04
Error code : Wsl/Service/CreateInstance/CreateVm/ConfigureGpu/HCS/ERROR_PATH_NOT_FOUND

Diagnostic Logs

C:\windows\system32> wsl --status
Distribution par défaut : Ubuntu-22.04
Version par défaut : 2
C:\windows\system32> wsl --version
Version WSL : 2.7.12.0
Version du noyau : 6.18.33.2-2
Version WSLg : 1.0.73.2
Version MSRDC : 1.2.7214
Version direct3D : 1.611.1-81528511
Version de DXCore : 10.0.26100.1-240331-1435.ge-release
Version de Windows : 10.0.26200.9168

C:\windows\system32> Get-VMHostPartitionableGpu
Name                          : \\?\PCI#VEN_1002&DEV_1900&SUBSYS_8E15103C&REV_B5#4&8490451&0&0041#{064092b3-625e-43bf-9
                                eb5-dc845897dd59}\GPUPARAV
ValidPartitionCounts          : {32}
PartitionCount                : 32
TotalVRAM                     : 1000000000
AvailableVRAM                 : 1000000000
SupportsIncomingLiveMigration : False
MinPartitionVRAM              : 0
MaxPartitionVRAM              : 1000000000
OptimalPartitionVRAM          : 1000000000
TotalEncode                   : 18446744073709551615
AvailableEncode               : 18446744073709551615
MinPartitionEncode            : 0
MaxPartitionEncode            : 18446744073709551615
OptimalPartitionEncode        : 18446744073709551615
TotalDecode                   : 1000000000
AvailableDecode               : 1000000000
MinPartitionDecode            : 0
MaxPartitionDecode            : 1000000000
OptimalPartitionDecode        : 1000000000
TotalCompute                  : 1000000000
AvailableCompute              : 1000000000
MinPartitionCompute           : 0
MaxPartitionCompute           : 1000000000
OptimalPartitionCompute       : 1000000000
CimSession                    : CimSession : .
ComputerName                  : AAP-5CG60514HB
IsDeleted                     : False

Name                          : \\?\PCI#VEN_1022&DEV_1502&SUBSYS_15021022&REV_00#4&a70ac54&0&0142#{064092b3-625e-43bf-9
                                eb5-dc845897dd59}\GPUPARAV
ValidPartitionCounts          : {32}
PartitionCount                : 32
TotalVRAM                     : 1000000000
AvailableVRAM                 : 1000000000
SupportsIncomingLiveMigration : False
MinPartitionVRAM              : 0
MaxPartitionVRAM              : 1000000000
OptimalPartitionVRAM          : 1000000000
TotalEncode                   : 18446744073709551615
AvailableEncode               : 18446744073709551615
MinPartitionEncode            : 0
MaxPartitionEncode            : 18446744073709551615
OptimalPartitionEncode        : 18446744073709551615
TotalDecode                   : 1000000000
AvailableDecode               : 1000000000
MinPartitionDecode            : 0
MaxPartitionDecode            : 1000000000
OptimalPartitionDecode        : 1000000000
TotalCompute                  : 1000000000
AvailableCompute              : 1000000000
MinPartitionCompute           : 0
MaxPartitionCompute           : 1000000000
OptimalPartitionCompute       : 1000000000
CimSession                    : CimSession : .
ComputerName                  : AAP-5CG60514HB
IsDeleted                     : False

My AMD Radeon video card is functioning properly with the lastest driver from Windows Update.

[github-actions]

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[Zeltron73]

Here are my logs. wslg is empty, because my VM does not start...
WslLogs-2026-08-28_11-18-36.tar.gz

[github-actions]

Diagnostic information

.wslconfig found
Detected appx version: 2.7.12.0

[chemwolf6922]

Hi Zeltron73 .
You are likely facing this issue: #40488. Please check if the solution mentioned in that issue fixes this.

[Zeltron73]

No, that is not the same problem at all, because if I change supportGpu=false in .wslconfig file, my VM starts and I can see the Linux prompt.
On the other hand, if I switch supportGpu=true, the VM does NOT start.
The error message is "Wsl/Service/CreateInstance/CreateVm/ConfigureGpu/HCS/ERROR_PATH_NOT_FOUND" and not "Wsl/Service/CreateInstance/CreateVm/HCS/ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND". It concerns the virtualization of the Gpu and not an installation problem.
I gave it a try anyway with an older version of Wsl (wsl.2.6.3.0.x64.msi) but without success.

If I tried to monitor file/registry activity during the VM's startup (with the supportGpu=true option) using the procmon utility, and I noticed that the vmwp.exe process was checking to see if the vmbkmclr service/driver existed. From that point on, it appears that the service eventually stops. Could this be the cause of my problem?
I also see that wmcompute.exe process tries to read the HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\GraphicsDrivers\Paravirtualization registry key that does not exist on my system.

Another info I would want to share, is that the second device seen by Get-VMHostPartitionableGpu cmdlet is not a GPU...

T:\temp\wsl\logs> Get-PnpDevice -PresentOnly |
>>     Where-Object {
>>         $_.InstanceId -like 'PCI\VEN_1022&DEV_1502*'
>>     } |
>>     Format-List *

Class                       : ComputeAccelerator
FriendlyName                : NPU Compute Accelerator Device
InstanceId                  : PCI\VEN_1022&DEV_1502&SUBSYS_15021022&REV_00\4&A70AC54&0&0142
Problem                     : CM_PROB_NONE
ConfigManagerErrorCode      : CM_PROB_NONE
ProblemDescription          : This device is working properly.
Caption                     : NPU Compute Accelerator Device
Description                 : NPU Compute Accelerator Device
InstallDate                 :
Name                        : NPU Compute Accelerator Device
Status                      : OK
Availability                :
ConfigManagerUserConfig     : False
CreationClassName           : Win32_PnPEntity
DeviceID                    : PCI\VEN_1022&DEV_1502&SUBSYS_15021022&REV_00\4&A70AC54&0&0142
ErrorCleared                :
ErrorDescription            :
LastErrorCode               :
PNPDeviceID                 : PCI\VEN_1022&DEV_1502&SUBSYS_15021022&REV_00\4&A70AC54&0&0142
PowerManagementCapabilities :
PowerManagementSupported    :
StatusInfo                  :
SystemCreationClassName     : Win32_ComputerSystem
SystemName                  : AAP-5CG60514HB
ClassGuid                   : {f01a9d53-3ff6-48d2-9f97-c8a7004be10c}
CompatibleID                : {PCI\VEN_1022&DEV_1502&REV_00, PCI\VEN_1022&DEV_1502, PCI\VEN_1022&CC_118000,
                              PCI\VEN_1022&CC_1180...}
HardwareID                  : {PCI\VEN_1022&DEV_1502&SUBSYS_15021022&REV_00, PCI\VEN_1022&DEV_1502&SUBSYS_15021022,
                              PCI\VEN_1022&DEV_1502&CC_118000, PCI\VEN_1022&DEV_1502&CC_1180}
Manufacturer                : AMD
PNPClass                    : ComputeAccelerator
Present                     : True
Service                     : IpuMcdmDriver
PSComputerName              :
CimClass                    : ROOT/cimv2 : Win32_PnPEntity
CimInstanceProperties       : {Caption, Description, InstallDate, Name...}
CimSystemProperties         : Microsoft.Management.Infrastructure.CimSystemProperties

[Zeltron73]

Another information: GPU-P is functioning correctly because I have created a Hyper-V VM with Windows 11 and configure a VMGpuPartitionAdapter to it. After adding the driver files into HostDriverStore of the VM, my AMD Radeon card is recognized and functioning in the VM (cf. screenshot)

[chemwolf6922]

Hi Zeltron73 .
Could you please try disable and re-enable the Windows Hypervisor Platform feature in Turn Windows features on or off and check if that fixes the issue?

[Zeltron73]

I have disabled Windows Hypervisor Platform feature, rebooted my machine, re-enabled it and rebooted again... But, that did not resolve the issue. WSL starts only if "supportGpu=false". If true, no WSL VM is starting...